Mind Matters: Studies of Medieval and Early Modern Intellectual History in Honour of Marcia Colish (review)

Abstract

Regarding the translation, Dyson claims to improve on the translation of E. G. Doyle (Sedulius Scottus: On Christian Rulers and the Poems [Binghamton, NY, 1983]), which he considers “often unduly free” (p. 21). A literal translation of an obscure passage, however, is no help, as seen in the Preface, lines 4–5, when Sedulius writes, “Artibus egregiis sapientia Celsitonantis/Praeposuit hominem cunctis animalibus orbis.”The translation “By excellent arts the wisdom of the Heavenly Thunderer/Has set man over all the creatures of the world”(p.45) misses the point that God has given arts to humans:“The wisdom of the heavenly-thunderer set man by means of excellent arts before all the animals of the world.”